Where's my father?
by star gazing girl
Summary: Elyon's daughter was always rebellious and curious about her father. But when she runs away from home to find her father, Elyon can only hope Caleb's son can hold her back before she discovers the truth. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Where's my father?

_Hello everyone! Okay, once more: I do not own W.I.T.C.H. or anything. The twins and the Guardians' kids are figments of my imagination. **This is rated T to be safe.** Read, enjoy, but NO FLAMES! _

_History of the story, Elyon had someone's children--twins. But no one, save Elyon, her new husband and the Guardians know who he is. Although her children want to know, she's never told her kids where their father went._

_**Chapter 1: The missing daughter**_

Celeste was missing. Again. That didn't surprise Elyon--her youngest child often went missing. What did annoy her was that the Guardians had agreed to meet them that day, if only to see the mysterious Celeste--and she was missing again! Elyon silently cursed her daughter as she walked aimlessly around the room.

Her husband looked at Elyon from his seat at his desk. "El, please sit down." He asked softly. "You know Celeste goes missing often--and she always comes back!"

Elyon stopped her pacing and stood behind her husband. "I know, I know. I'm overprotective. But...Celeste worries me. She's just like her father. And that's not a good thing, Palar." She fretted. "She still doesn't know who her father is--but what if she finds out? I don't think I can handle it if she does meet him! What if she goes evil too?"

Palar stood up slowly and hugged Elyon. "El. She's not a baby anymore. She's already almost 18! And you've done a wonderful job raising her. Celeste is independant, confident--Elyon, she'll be a wonderful ruler some day!" He soothed his wife.

A young maid enter and curtsied politely. "Your Majesties...the Guardians have arrived. And there's no word of Lady Celeste." She announced.

Elyon smiled weakly. "Oh. Okay. Well, a queen does what she must--come along, my darling." She added to her husband. The couple walked into the throne room and happily greeted their friends. "Celeste is missing again." Elyon blurted.

Will laughed. "That doesn't surprise me. Pretty as she is, she acts wild." She commented with a well practiced smile. Carefully she took Caleb's hand. "Our son Connor is missing too. We're used to it." She added.

Caleb chuckled. "We'll have issues when he hits 21. We'll never see him again!" He joked.

A deep voice spoke up. "If Celeste didn't hate him so, I'd say Connor and she were soulmates." It was, of course, Celeste's twin brother Elrin. He smiled charmingly and held the door open for the guests as they laughed and filtered out of the room slowly.

_Meanwhile..._

Celeste smiled as she galloped away from the palace on her horse. Finally, freedom! No more wearing dresses or anything. With her legs clad safely in leather breeches, her hair pinned up and her mother's eyes not on her, Celeste felt happy. Free.

Of course, she felt guilty about leaving her mother like that. The fact remained that the only reason she had left was that she hated Connor, and he was sure to ruin her daily ride. Besides that, it was great fun to gallop off to who knows where, leaving all her worries far behind...

A figure suddenly tackled Celeste and knocked her entirely off her horse. She reached for her dagger and leaped to her feet, blue eyes narrowed in uncontrolable anger. "Stand and fight, you coward!" She shouted at the figure.

It laughed and stood up, shaking dirt from its dark hair. "Who's the coward--the attacker or the one who runs away from her duties?" It asked.

Celeste groaned and reached for her horse's reins. "Connor, what are you doing here?" She demanded. "Leave me alone!"

"No can do, brat. Elrin sent me. He said Queenie dearest was worried over you, and who better to sober you up than me?" Connor teased.

Celeste rolled her eyes and started to climb onto her horse again. "Go jump off a cliff!" She shouted.

"Now, now. If I do that, no one can ever tell you who your father is." Connor said pointedly. "They tell me you ask constantly. Do you truly want to know who he is?" Connor whispered.

Celeste leaned close. "Tell me." She breathed.

"Your father is..." Connor said, his eyes twinkling with humor. "A secret." He finished. Then he grabbed Celeste's hand. "Meet me on the dining room balcony and I'll tell you. At midnight."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Midnight, on the balcony

Celeste tiptoed down the hall. Thankfully, Elrin was asleep or he'd be with her, ready to kill Connor for his 'presumptiousness'. But if Connor was dead, he couldn't annoy her anymore...For a moment, Celeste paused outside Elrin's door and waited to see if he heard her. But then it struck her--Elrin slept like the dead. Even if she sang opera outside his room, her twin couldn't hear her.

Reluctantly, Celeste walked down the hallways towards the dining room. _What if he doesn't show up?_ She worried. _What if he lies?_ But those thoughts had been clustered in her mind all day; with a well-practiced sigh she ran down the halls. Her bare feet made no noise at all, despite her haste, and for the millioneth time it struck Celeste just how scary it was in the palace. _They say that the former prince Phobos's ghost roams these halls...looking for his revenge on Queen Elyon..._ She thought nervously.

A figure looked up as Celeste walked onto the balcony. Connor's lips lifted in a smirk. "So. You showed up." He said softly. "Where's Elrin?" He added suddenly.

Celeste pulled her robe closer. "He's sleeping. You made a promise, Connor. Now I'm holding you to your word. Who was my father?" She said intently.

Connor backed away. "Nice nightgown. Is that real silk? Wow." He said casually.

A thought was forming at the back of Celeste's mind. "You don't know who my father is!" She snapped. Her blue eyes went wide. "That's why you wanted Elrin here--he's stop you from telling me!"

Connor moved forward. "Celeste, please. Keep your voice down or--"

"Who's there?" A guard shouted.

Celeste looked back at Connor. "I'm sick and tired of your games." She rasped. She grabbed her boots, which she had left on the balcony earlier, and pulled them on. "Good luck explaining to everyone why I'm gone!"

Connor looked like he wanted to grab her but instead he grabbed a stick and struck a decorative gong. Within moments people began to rush towards the balcony.

Celeste scrambled over the edge and winced as she felt the wood splinters and rose thorns on the decorative trellis cut into her flesh. Somehow, she had always imagined this part would be easier and less painful.

Connor looked over the edge of the balcony. "Celeste! Where are you going?" He called. Worry crossed his face and he looked much younger and more nervous than he ever had.

"To find my father!" Celeste called back. Her feet on the trellis slipped, and she fell backwards onto the ground. Pain shot through her ankle, but anger and misery fueled her and she ran for the stables.

Elyon appeared suddenly. "Where's Celeste? Where's my daughter!" She screamed. Her eyes hit on the broken trellis and the blood on it and she began to scream in a thin, terrified voice.

Celeste's horse appeared, shooting like a rocket out of the stables.

Elrin saw it and a look of panic crossed his face. "Celeste! Come back!" He shouted.

Connor gave a thin whistle; his horse appeared from the stables as well. "It's okay--I'll get her!" He shouted. He slid down the trellis, breaking it entirely, and scrambled onto his horse. Then he was also gone.

Will leaned against Caleb, still screaming both for her son and Celeste. Finally she stopped, weeping still. "They won't come back. Not until they find her father." She said aloud.

Elyon looked down. "Then I'd rather them never return than find him."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: On the road again

Celeste stopped her horse near a babbling brook and lifted her skirt to look down at her ankle. It looked almost as painful as it felt--swollen, misshapen, and an odd purple-blue-red color. She knelt to rinse her ankle in the icy water, but a deep voice stopped her.

"I wouldn't try that." Connor walked up from the shadows and knelt beside her. "That's the Water of Infinity. My father told me about it. If you wash that ankle in there, it'll never heal."

"What do you know?" Celeste demanded. She reached for the water again, but then she hesitated.

Connor smiled at her. "Scared, aren't you?" He asked softly. Celeste looked away. He knelt beside her gently. "Here, let me." He ripped a bit of cloth from her housecoat and used it to tie up her ankle. "There. It's just a sprain. Give it a few days and you'll be good as new--better, if you wash your healed ankle in this water. Maybe."

"This isn't called the Water of Infinity, is it?" Celeste demanded. "You lied."

Connor winked at her. "So sue me." He grinned. "Besides, you shouldn't wash that leg in murky water. There might be a snake or poisonous bug in there, and then what would I do with your body?"

Celeste glared at him. "Once I find my father, he'll kill you." She threatened him as she used his arm as leverage to stand up. Then she straightened her coat and smiled proudly. "Go back to the palace--see if I care. I don't need you or anyone! My father and I will get along just fine." She stated. But the ground was slippery and as she hopped back to her horse, she slipped and fell.

Connor walked over and pulled her up. "You think I want to miss out on this historic event? No way. Princess makes total fool of herself while trying to find imaginary biological father--Now that's my idea of a good time. Come on, brat." He lifted her onto her horse. "I'll lead this horse for now, and save my horse's strength. But on the return journey, you're carrying me."

"On the road again! I can't wait to get on the road again!" Connor sang. Admittedly he could sing rather good, but now he was singing offkey just to get that brat mad at him. Sure enough, her nose wrinkled in a familiar way, and her hands clenched into fists. _If she knew just how cute she looked doing that, Celeste would stop instantly._ He thought, grinning. Of course he knew that their parents were playing matchmaker--what with him having saved her when she fell into a pond at 4 years of age, they had pictured a tidy wedding and several kids by now, no doubt.

But Connor didn't fool himself. Celeste hated him. The only reason she let him come along now was because she saw him as a crutch. But Connor also knew the reason Celeste hated him was because she felt emotions towards him that she thought would weaken her.

Connor looked back at her. _With God as my witness, by the time I get her back to her family she will admit that she loves me._ He vowed. _Or I won't come back with her._

"Hey, did you finally decide to quit singing?" Celeste asked hopefully.

_She should know better than to ask me._ Connor thought, grinning. "Nope! I just decided on my new song. Rubber ducky, you're the one! You make bath-time lots of fun! Rubber ducky, I'm awfully fond of you...!" He shouted.

Celeste rested her head in her hands and groaned. "This is going to be a loooooong trip." But no one could see the smile that crept across her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Is it broken?

"OW!" Celeste screamed. She kicked Connor in the chest with her good foot. "That hurts, you idiot!"

Connor rubbed his sore chest. "Really. I couldn't tell." He said sarcastially. In his hand he still carefully held her ankle, no longer tightly bound up. It was a deep purplish-blue color and looked swollen. "I think you didn't just sprain it." He said suddenly.

Celeste, laying on her back, looked up. "You think? What wrong with it?" She asked.

Connor was trying his hardest to ignore her rather shapely legs, which his teenaged mind had promptly admired. "I think you broke it." He said after an unnaturally long pause.

Celeste sat up. "WHAT!" She shrieked. For a moment there was complete chaos as Celeste tried to get her ankle free and stand up while looking lady-like and yet showing as much leg as possible. "I did not break it! Look, I can stand on it, see?" She said, still standing on one leg. For a moment, she gave a visible wince, and then she threw her weight on it.

Her already white face went even paler and she tumbled forward.

Connor quickly caught her in his arms. _The pain in my ankle must have affected my brain somehow. I can't think. Why is my heart beating so fast?_ Celeste thought.

Connor laid Celeste back down carefully. "I might be wrong, Celeste." He said softly.

"Wrong about what?" Celeste asked blankly.

Connor blinked a few times and then chuckled good naturedly. "I said I think your ankle's broken, but I might be wrong. I mean, I'm not a doctor or anything. Besides, don't you s--" Connor suddenly shut up, cheeks crimson.

Celeste used his shirt as leverage to pull herself up. "Don't you what?" She asked eagerly.

Connor glanced away from her. "Um, don't you think we should get going? You can ride the horse again. I'm okay." He stammered. _You idiot! You almost hinted at who her father is! If you tell her, do you really think she'll keep going? No, she'll run back home to see him and you'll lose the one chance you'll ever get!_ He thought angrily.

Celeste let him lift her onto the horse, then reached out and touched his cheek. "Connor. Thanks for helping me." She said softly. _Now why did I do that?_ Celeste wondered. _It's not like I like him or anything. Oh, heck, Celeste, quit lying to yourself! I do like him. _ She scolded herself, flushing under her hat that she had used to cover her hair and shadow her face. She arranged her skirt so that it covered her partically but at the same time showed off her legs. Like her mother, she had rather nice legs and she knew it.

Connor reached out suddenly and tugged the skirt down again. "Don't want you getting sick." He mumbled as he started walking.

Celeste smiled to herself. _Uh-huh. Really. I believe you, Caleb. _ She thought. _But by the end of this trip, you will love me. You have to._

Elyon turned to look at her husband. "Celeste?" She asked quickly.

"Has a broken ankle." Palar replied. He wrapped Elyon in his arms. "Try to relax, honey."

Elyon blinked back a few tears. "Does she have a broken plan?" She asked. Palar didn't answer, and Elyon pulled away. "Palar, the plan. Is it broken?" She repeated.

Elrin walked in. "No, Mother. Connor is helping her now." He said quietly. "With your blessing or without it, I want to get our Celeste back."

Palar looked up. "How? They've covered miles." He objected.

Elrin didn't move his eyes from Elyon. "Because I have something I inherited from Father." He said in the same, quiet tone. Elyon looked up in alarm, and Elrin nodded. "I know who he is. Mother--if you don't let me go after her now, her ankle will heal in 3 days and she'll be able to keep going." He urged her.

Elyon turned away from her son. "Go!" She said sharply. "But do not harm either one."

Elrin ran out of the room, looking oddly like his father who had once did the monarch's bidding as well. Then he escaped from the palace, quietly heading towards Celeste and Connor.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A new village

Celeste looked down the hill at the village. "This is the village?" She asked critically.

Connor reached up to help her slide off the horse. "Yeah. This is the village with the best doctor ever. Dr. J. He took care of Mom when she had me here 2 weeks early. He'll know if you broke your foot." He told her.

Celeste grimaced in pain. "I can't walk." She reminded her companion. "Why'd you get me off the horse?"

"Because if we walk in with nothing, that's what we're charged. Nothing. And we can't afford to surrender a horse with that foot so sore. Come on, put all your weight on me. Tiny as you are, I think I can support you." Connor said. He expertly slipped an arm around her waist; Celeste looked down so her long blonde hair would cover her flushed face.

The couple staggered into the village, Celeste grimacing in pain every step of the way.

Finally Connor kicked a door down--and stared at the empty room. It was abandoned, without doubt or question.

Connor frowned. "But--the doctor lived here. I know he did. He wouldn't have moved--not so suddenly." He whispered, letting his arm drop from around her waist.

Celeste leaned against a wall. "And he was how old when you were born?" She asked softly. Now that she no longer had his arm to lean against or distract her, her foot hurt.

Connor glanced back at her. "I guess around 60--oh. So you think he's dead." He said flatly.

"Well, he would have been 80 this year. That's too long for him to be a doctor. Besides, this is a great place for us to stay. Look, there's even a nice bush that's growing in here." Celeste said, limping over to it. She grabbed a handful of the small, plain red berries and swallowed them.

Connor turned and looked at her with horror. "Celeste--don't tell me you ate those!" He said tensly.

Celeste frowned down at her hand, stained red with juice. "Well, yeah. Why? They're good. Elrin and I eat them all the time at home. Here, have some." She offered.

Connor shook his head. "No, I'm allergic to that type of berry. Come lay down. We can grab a few hours of sleep." He said, walking over to the old bed and checking it for rodents or dust.

Celeste limped over to him, and scrambled in the bed. "This bed is nice and comfy. Connor, where are you going to sleep?" She added meaningfully.

Connor winked at her. "Same bed, on top of the blankets you sleep under. Relax, brat. The thought you're freaked out about never crossed my mind." He teased. _Liar. You did think about it and probably would have shared the bed if she hadn't asked. _He thought grimly.

Celeste fell asleep quickly, and Connor drew the curtains around the bed closed. Then he quietly tiptoed out of bed, grabbed a few handfuls of berries from the bush, and walked out of town, dropping them steadily. When he returned, he rubbed some berries in his hands to get some juice and rubbed it on himself and Celeste.

Around midnight, a large snake-person slithered into the village. It quietly checked every house for something, then smelled the berries and grabbed a handful of berries from the doctor's house before following Connor's trail.

Connor let out a sigh of relief. _Dad was right. Snake people love those snake berries. We'll have to be careful from now on--he's looking for her._ He thought.

Celeste half sat up, still dozing. "What smells like berries?" She asked sleepily. Then she yawned. "Oh, is Elrin here?" She mumbled. "Tell him I'll find Father."

Connor wrapped her back up and looked out the window. "I think he knows who your father is, Celeste. We're leaving first thing in the morning." He vowed.

Elyon stood on the edge of the empty well in the dungeon. "She's looking for you." She said softly.

"And I should care...why?" A deep voice grumbled. "She's your daughter."

"And yours, though you never can claim her." Elyon cried softly. "Will you do nothing to help her?"

The voice laughed. "Oh, I'll help her, alright. I'll help her right into a grave."

Elyon gazed down. "I was hoping...you had changed. But you haven't, have you?" She asked.

A dry laugh floated up. "Why change when you have no chance of freedom?" The voice asked. "But I can tell you this much, my queen. She's more like me then you can understand. And she won't return until she understands why she smell things so much better than everyone else, eat foods that no one else can, and knows exactly who her father is."

Elyon bit her lower lip. "I did tell you that if you talked to me, I'd give you a treat. I keep my word." She shoved a snake berry bush into the pit.

There was a moment of silence, and then a chuckle. "Elyon...my people loves these. So do your children. Teach them to change into their true forms." The voice mocked her again.

Elyon glared down into the pit. "They are in their true forms." She said, walking off.

A low hiss filled the air as she left. "Only you think so, little queen. Only you think so."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Leaving

Celeste frowned. "Why do we have to leave so fast, Connor? I'm starting to like it here." She complained.

Connor lifted the bag of food onto the horse's back. "Because you want to find your father, don't you? Besides, you're a wanted princess. It's a bad idea to stay too long in one place." He said briskly. Then he turned and saw the sadness on her face; with a sigh he reached out and grabbed her close in a hug. "Relax, brat. You can come back here with your father and introduce him to everyone and everything." He said affectionately.

Celeste smiled hopefully up at him. "Really?" She asked.

_No, not really. In fact I doubt you'll hear anything about your father outside the palace. _Connor thought, but the smile he gave her was warm and extravagant. "Really. Now come on. Do you think you can walk some on that foot? We don't want to strain our one good horse." Connor added, trying to change the subject.

Celeste nodded. "Yeah, it's not as sore today. Maybe it was the berries I ate!" She added hopefully.

Connor smiled again at her, then realized that he hadn't let go of her since he hugged her and let his arms drop. "Maybe. Come on, you can walk a mile and then ride the rest of the day, okay?" He said cheerfully. He felt like an awful hypocrite, acting so happy and relaxed when his heart was beating so hard he felt like it might beat out of his chest.

As if reading his mind, Celeste rested a hand on his chest. "Are you okay? Your heart's beating so fast." She worried. "Maybe you're sick. Do you feel faint?"

_Only when you're near. Does that tell you anything?_ Connor thought, but he gave a forced laugh. "Come on, Celeste, you know me! I'm just hyper to be on the road again." He lied.

The mayor of the village walked past. "I don't blame you, strangers. Rumors say that a huge snake-person slithered through town. I want to leave too, but I don't want to leave my duty." He agreed. Then he eyed Celeste with a relish that made Connor tremble with anger. "Are you two travelers brother and sister?" He said meaningfully.

"Husband and wife, in fact." Connor said in a clipped voice. "Now if you'll excuse us, my wife and I will be going." He lifted Celeste onto the horse, forgetting that he meant to make her walk for a while, and lead the horse off.

Celeste leaned over and caught Connor's eye. "Why did you say we were married? We don't even like each other." She demanded.

Connor resisted the urge to laugh. _ I think you like me more than you're willing to admit, Celeste._ He thought. "You never tell your real marital status or name when you're traveling. Especially when you ran away." He said sternly.

Celeste slid off the horse's back and began to walk beside Connor. "Oh. I never thought of that. Well. It's a good thing you're traveling with me, Connor. I doubt I would have made it this far." She paused to catch a butterfly in her hands and draw it closer to her face to observe it. "I wonder if your mother and father blame me for this adventure." The butterfly flew away, and Connor grabbed a flower to hand to Celeste.

"I doubt it." He lied.

"Elyon, this is all your daughter's fault!" Will complained. "Connor never leaves like this."

"Will--" Caleb tried.

Will waved him off. "Okay, maybe he does, but he always left word for us a tavern or some such place!"

"Will--" Caleb offered again.

"But no, this time Celeste had to drag him off!" Will whimpered.

"WILL!" Caleb shouted. She gave him a reproachful look but fell silent. "Thank you. I think what Will means to say, Elyon, is, have you heard from either child?"

Elyon had sat still and silent in her throne until that point. Now she looked up, and her eyes were red from tears. "No, neither have sent word. And Elrin has joined the search parties. Excuse me." She said in an unnaturally quiet tone as she walked past them and raced to the dungeon. Then she gazed down into the well that housed her children's father. "Where is she?" Elyon shouted. "Where is my Celeste?"

"How would I know?" A voice rumbled. "I haven't seen her since she was born."

Elyon threw a rock down in the well. "She acts just like you! You know where she went!" She howled.

The voice laughed. "Is she alone?"

"No. One of the Guardians' children accompanied her." Elyon said quietly. "Do you think he's holding her back?"

"I doubt it. He'll probably take her to my home village to see if she looks like anyone there." The voice replied.

Elyon knelt down by the well. "Where is your home village?" No answer. "Where is your home village?" She screamed.

The voice chuckled. "I'd rather not say. Let the girl roam." It replied. "She'll return, Elyon. My child would be as drawn to power as I am. And now you owe me a decent meal, instead of that slop you drop down here."

_Okay! I'm now taking guesses about who the father is! Please send me a private message! And also, please tell me if you have any criticism, comments, ect. (Oh--also, am I giving too many clues?) Thanks!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Arguing

Celeste looked at a map, then up at Connor. "Where are you going?" She asked with surprising bluntness. "We need to take a left here."

Connor looked back at her. "Not if we're headed towards Midnight Village, which we are. We take the right fork." He said impatiently.

Celeste slid off the horse. "No, we don't! Look, I have a map!" She waved the paper at him so furiously that he couldn't have read it even if he wanted to (which he didn't).

Connor grabbed her before she fell again, lifted her easily back onto the horse, and rolled his eyes. "Stay up there, Celeste, and let me take you to Midnight Village. I know my way around Meridian; Dad comes back here and I travel while he and Mom visit you. I go there all the time." He said impatiently.

Celeste glared at him. "It's my kingdom, and I know my way around it! Now, both the map and I say we turn left. That's 2 against 1." She said, sounding very bossy.

Connor rolled his eyes. "I don't care. You want to go left, fine. You go left. And when you get lost and decide to turn around, take the right fork and stop at the Riverview Inn. I'll be waiting there." He said impatiently. He reached up and lifted her off the horse. "I'm taking my horse." He added.

Celeste stared at him. "You can't do that! I--I can't walk." She protested as she reached for the reins.

Connor pulled them out of her reach. "I don't care, brat. My horse and I are headed right. You want to ride the horse, you go right too." He said impatiently.

Celeste put a bit of her weight on her foot. "Fine! And when you admit you were wrong and decide to come back and take the left path, according to my map, I'll at the Mountianview Inn." She snapped. Her face was contorted with pain as she limped down the left path.

Connor grabbed the horse's reins and started down the right path.

Celeste couldn't believe he had made her walk! Despite the fact that she was in pain, she staggered on as much to spite him as to see if she could make it. But after 3 miles of limping, she stopped. Her ankle screamed for relief, her lungs ached, and her tattered dress was soaked with sweat. She tried to stand up but her legs wouldn't support her anymore.

Celeste swallowed a few deep breathes, sipped water from her jug, and then began to crawl slowly down the path.

MEANWHILE

Connor was getting worried. He didn't know why he had agreed to part ways. He should have stayed with her! He stopped and looked behind him, praying he'd see Celeste hurrying to him. But no such luck. The path was empty. Suddenly he felt an urge to go back. He didn't know or care why; but he climbed back onto his horse and galloped down the paths.

Sure enough, almost back at the fork, a small figure lay. Celeste.

Connor lifted her up and stared into her eyes. She was dirty, sweaty and tired, but she was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. But it seemed she had been attacked.

"Wolves..." She rasped frantically. Her fingers were bloodly, but Celeste reached up and lightly touched his cheek. "I...I thought I would die before I could see you again and tell you..."

Connor climbed back onto his horse and kicked it into a slow gallop towards the Riverview Inn. "Tell me what?" He asked the girl still in his arms. "Tell me what?"

Celeste looked oddly calm. "I love you." She rasped.

Connor shook his head. "I love you too. I already had this feeling you loved me. But listen to me--you can't die on me now. We have to stay together so we can see your father. Okay Celeste?"

Celeste shut her eyes. "Hm. Uh-huh..." But her head rolled back, and she was limp before they reached the inn.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:Confessions

The morning light, which filtered in through the open window, was actually what woke Celeste. She had no idea of actually passing out; all she could actually recall was the wolves attacking her as she crawled towards the fork in the road, and then such a rush of fury that her ears were ringing and the world was spinning...and suddenly she was covered in blood (her blood?) and left kneeling on the rocks beside the road staring at the dead bodies of the wolves. Since she was weak and still unarmed, she had crawled on and suddenly she was in Connor's arms...

Celeste propped herself up and examined herself. She was in a soft linen dress, which was solid white and unmarred. Under the dress, she could feel bandages covering her stomach, arms and legs. Her hands were paler than they had been, though, and Celeste was well-aware of one other detail: she was starving.

A motherly looking woman walked in, smiling at Celeste. "Good morning, ma'am! You had us all worried." She said, and her voice sounded almost exactly like Elyon's. "That young man who brought you here has barely left your side!" She put down a tray and pulled off the cover, revealing hot soup and dry bread.

Celeste stared at it. "Can I eat now? I'm starved!" She blurted, eagerly, reaching instinctively for the bread.

The woman laughed. "Gently, gently, little one. First, you need to bathe and let me change those bandages. Then you can eat. And if you're still awake, I'll let that young man in to see you." She said, carefully helping Celeste out of the soft dress. Celeste had wasted considerably. Her ribs, normally well hidden under muscles and fat, were now disturbingly defined under skin. Her arms were unnaturally skinny.

But when she took her spoon and began to eat and Connor walked in, he looked as though he had just seen a vision. "Celeste! You look...alive." He stammered, for once at a lose for words.

Celeste smiled at him. "They told me that you were the one who saved me. Thank you. But how did you know that the wolves attacked me? How did you kill them all?" She asked.

Connor looked at her sadly. "Celeste, I didn't kill the wolves. You did." He said softly. "There's something I need to tell you--"

"Just a second, Connor." Celeste replied. "When...when we started out on this journey, I hated you. Mother always said that when I fell in love with someone, I would know it and be frantic to never leave them. She was right, Connor. I never want to leave you again." Celeste said all in one breath.

Connor smiled. "I love you too, Celeste." He whispered. He drew the slight girl into his arms and looked hard into her eyes. "But I know who your father is, and now I promise to tell you." He vowed.

Celeste grinned up at him. "Who is he?" She breathed.

"A...snake. Snake-person, we called them. Celeste, when you killed those wolves, you must have harnessed that power somehow." Connor explained, and then he gave a sad smile. "Celeste, to get to the village your father came from, we had to take a left."

Celeste smiled up at him. "Connor, when I meet him, let's tell him the good news." She urged.

"Good news?" Connor asked.

"Yes! When we get back home...I fully expect to marry you." Celeste said with a smiled.

Connor laughed. "Sounds good to me." He pulled her closer again.

Neither saw the huge snake gazing at them from the window, nor did they see the way his eyes narrowed when he saw them embrace.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Her father's home.

Connor lead the horse down the road. "You still okay, Celeste?" He asked softly.

Celeste looked up and smiled. "Yeah. I'm just thinking." She replied quietly. In her lap, she held some embroidery; normally she wouldn't touch it but it was a tradition in her family for the bride to make something. She waved the cloth at Connor. "Does this look like a rose to you?" She asked.

Connor eyed it. "Well, it's beautiful, but completely out of character for you. Shouldn't you make something more...appropriate?" He offered.

Celeste arched an eyebrow. "Tell me what you think I should make." She asked. "I have no idea. My grandmother made a flower, and so did her mother and her mother before her. It's practically a tradition to make some type of flower." She added in annoyance.

"Well, it's a stupid tradition. We should break it. Make a sword or a wolf or something." Connor said firmly. "Something beautiful and strong."

"A sword is beautiful?" Celeste asked, smiling. Suddenly she sat upright. "Look! Is that the village?" She cried, eager and young sounding.

Connor turned his head and smiled. "Yeah. It is. Celeste..." He paused and looked at her. "You're a good person, and I love you. Just--remember that, okay?"

Celeste smiled innocently. "Okay. Come on, I just need to ask one question!" She urged him.

Connor climbed in front of Celeste and galloped into the village. The people moved around uncertainly, watching them and grumbling.

Celeste touched Connor's shoulder. "Help me down. I don't think they like us being taller than them." She whispered.

Connnor shrugged, and slid off before helping Celeste down. Then he turned to face the people. "Relax. We're not here to stay. She wants to know who her father is. Please, just tell her that much." He shouted.

An old man walked forward and looked at Celeste. "What makes you think that we know?" He asked in a low, croaking voice.

"Because...my father was born here. I've never met him but I have to know." She begged softly. Connor reached out and held her hand as she continued. "Please. I...I need to go home soon. I haven't been home in so long."

The man frowned, and then carefully eyed her. "Hm.You do look like a young man who left here some years ago. The last we heard of him, he was in a dungeon for high treason against the queen. She had 2 of his children." He mused. "His name was Cedric. Do you think you could find him again?"

Celeste nodded and walked away slowly. Then she turned to look at Connor. "Cedric. I've heard of him. He was...awful." She whispered. "I don't want him to be my father."

Connor sighed softly. "Come on, Celeste. Let's go home. It's high time you did...and high time we married." He said softly. The couple left quietly, leaving only a trail of tears that fell from Celeste's cheeks.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: "Tell me the truth!"

Elyon raced out of the palace to greet her daughter. "Celeste! You came back!" She exclaimed eagerly, reaching up to hug her daughter. Her hair was mussed, her body seemed wasted away, and she wore a plain peasant's dress. But she was home, and alive!

Celeste dropped down, putting her weight on her newly healed ankle. "Mom, we need to talk. Don't celebrate just yet." She said in a firm tone. Connor reached out and took her hand for a moment, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles before he let go and walked up to Will and Caleb.

Elyon saw the way Celeste's eyes followed him, as though he drew her by a string. Then she smiled at her daughter, trying to swallow down the uneasy feeling in her throat. "Alright, Celeste. What do you need?" She asked gently.

Celeste signaled for her to follow her into the gardens, then waited for her in front of a fountian. She had her head cocked in a way that was very similar to what Cedric did when he was thinking about something, and her mouth was bunched to a side in the same way Elyon's did when she was thinking. Finally she spoke. "Mother, where is my father?" She said quietly.

Those 5 words had a bigger impact on Elyon than anything else. "Palar is in the throne room, dear." She tried to tell her daughter.

Celeste threw up her hands. "No! My real father. My birth father!" She cried. Her voice echoed off the fountians and bushes.

Elyon stepped forward. "Celeste, your 'birth father', as you put it, is dead." She said sternly. "I don't know what gotten into you."

"What's gotten into me? Mother, you've lied to me all these years! You never told me that he was a snake-person or whatever! You never told me that he had blonde hair or green eyes! You never told me anything! I know he's not dead, Mother! I know he's not! Quit lying to me! Tell me the truth!" Celeste shouted.

Elyon walked forward to try and soothe her daughter. "Celeste, your father is dead. He doesn't want you or Elrin or me. He doesn't want any of us. Besides that, I have no idea where he is." She said softly.

"Mother! Tell me the truth! Where is he?" Celeste shouted. Her hands formed fists. "Tell me, or...or...or I'll run away again!" She threatened. "And you'll never get to see me marry Connor or have kids one day or do anything!"

Elyon stepped back, putting her hand on her mouth like the sheer impact of the threats had left her speechless. "You want to marry Connor?" She finally stammered. Celeste rolled her eyes. "No, no, sweetie. Don't get mad at me. I do want to see you marry and have children. I honestly do. But I don't want you to get hurt. And to see your father now...would hurt you."

Celeste looked up. "I know you have him in the dungeons, Mother. I'm not stupid. I just need to see him--see how I'm like him and how Elrin's like him." She said quietly. Then she paused. "Did you ever love him?"

Elyon sighed. "You act like him, anyway. You do." Amusement made her eyes sparkle. "As for loving him...well, I did. But then I had you and Elrin. And...well, that love or whatever it was, faded away when he went evil." She leaned over and tapped Celeste under the chin. "Now, let's have that meeting before we begin planning the wedding."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Her father.

Celeste followed Elyon down the winding stairs and towards the dungeon. It was a place she had never been. Trembling almost violently, she joined Elyon at the edge of a well-like hole.

Elyon looked down into the pitch black. "Cedric! Wake up!" She called loud enough for him to sleep.

A low voice replied in an annoyed tone. "Why should I? Did you bring that child that you call mine? I don't want to see her." It snapped. Elyon signalled for her daughter to step forward and speak.

Celeste looked down at the blackness, steadying herself. Finally,she forced her lips to part. "Father...it's me. I'm your daughter, Celeste." She blurted. "I've always wanted to meet you."

A few rustling noises responded. "Good for you. Am I supposed to cry or something--say that I always wanted to meet you too?" The voice said after a moment. "Hardly. You mean less to me than your mother did."

Elyon stepped forward. "Cedric! You can at least try to be polite, can't you?" She snapped impatiently, eyes moving over to Celeste to make sure she was okay after his show of carelessness.

But Celeste shook her head. "Did you ever think of me? Even once in 18 years?" She demanded.

Cedric was quiet. Then his voice resounded around the room. "No."

Celeste blinked a few times--either from hurt or alarm, it wasn't sure. "Oh. Well. Step into the light, please." She added. But it wasn't so much a request as it was an order.

A blonde man stepped forward reluctantly. His green eyes matched Elrin's rather nicely, and Celeste had his hair color. In fact, Elrin could have been the man's twin. His eyes squinted up at Celeste, either from the light or annoyance.

Celeste gave a thoughtful nod. "You could have had it all, you know. You could have. I would have let you go, eventually. Because you were my father. But you know, I think Mother must be mistaken. My father was there when I took my first step, and he thinks of me every day. I don't know why I came down here." Celeste turned and smiled at Elyon. "Thank you, Mother. But next time when I ask you where my father is, show me into the den where Palar sits."

"How sweet." Cedric said sneeringly as he retreated into the shadows. "How touchingly sweet."

Celeste looked down at him. "Yeah. I guess it is sweet. Bye!" The mother and daughter walked up the stairs laughing, where Palar waited for them.

"Hi Father!" Celeste said cheerfully. "Come on, we have a wedding to have here in a few hours!"

The family escaped upstairs, laughing. But Elrin slipped down the stairs before the door shut.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The music box and wedding day confessions

Celeste fidgetted nervously with her white gown. "Do you think he'll like it?" She murmured shyly.

Elyon stopped fussing with her own hair long enough to embrace her daughter. "He will love it. And you. Celeste, excuse me for asking, but...are you okay with Cedric being your father?" She asked gently, coaxingly.

Celeste looked up at her mother. "I already told you. He may have fathered a child, but he will never be my father. Palar helped raise me. He loves me and Elrin." She said stubbornly, but her trembling chin betrayed her strong speech.

Elyon sighed. "Oh, Celeste. I think you need a moment to pull yourself together. I'm going to go find Elrin; you stay in here and rest. The last thing we need is a sad bride!" She added gently.

Celeste sat down on her bed and reached for a music box she had possessed since birth. It was a gift from her father. Humming vaguely, she pulled out the small key and turned it, making music begin playing. It was a lullaby from her childhood, very soothing. But then her sharp eyes fell on something. There was a silhouette of a snake on the lid of her music box.

Celeste found a knife and carefully pried a layer off her music box lid. A piece of paper, yellowed with age, fell into her lap. She laid her knife aside, slipped off her long white gloves, and unfolded the paper.

_My darling daughter,_

_I have been told that soon I will be arrested and barred from ever seeing you. This is a devasting blow. By this time, no doubt, you will have learned what I gave you. I urge you to not feel less than human. If anything, I am less than human, for I am a criminal. _

_I will pay the price for crimes I carelessly created. But I now regret them. I would gladly give up everything to be with you, to see you take your first step, say your first word, learn that you can become a snake. You are my daughter, and I will never be allowed to see you grow up._

_I want you to know that I do love you, although I'm not sure that I ever loved your mother. I love you, and I will think of you everyday.Please, my child. Do not think evil of me. I think enough evil about my self. Do not sully your mind with anger. Think of me often, little one. _

_Love, your father,_

_Cedric._

Celeste wiped away her tears. _He lied, then. _She thought. _He did think of me. _She pulled on her gloves and shoes, then checked the hallway. _Now all I can do is beg his forgiveness for being a spoiled brat. _Like a ghost, she ran down the hallways until she reached the dungeon.

"Cedric?" She called softly. No answer. "Cedric?" She repeated. Finally she knelt on the side of the well and stared down into the inky blackness. "Father?"

"What now?" Cedric's familiar voice replied sarcastically. "I was told you were marrying soon. Did you come to tell me that you've decided to kill me?"

"I found your note, Father. In my music box." Celeste replied. "Did you mean any of it?" She held her breath, wondering if she would die of sorrow if he laughed and denied writing any note.

"I meant every word of it, little one." Cedric said quietly. "But I don't want you hanging on to me. You've grown up acting as rebellious as I did--and I wish I could change that." He stepped into the sunlight and smiled up at her. Oddly enough, he looked much younger when he grinned at her. "Good luck, little one. I'm barred from seeing you even today, but I'm glad you came. Bring my grandchildren to visit me, okay?"

Celeste smiled back. "Okay." She agreed as she ran off.

A second figure stepped out of the shadows and stood beside Cedric.

"Won't she be surprised to see you?" Elrin asked softly as he held a ladder.

Cedric sighed. "I just wish she wouldn't marry that guardian's son." He admitted as he began climbing.

"With all luck, and our influence, she won't." Elrin replied softly.


	13. Chapter 13

_Finally, an update:) Actually, it's probably the last chapter. I'm afraid this muse went on strike._

Chapter 13: My happiness or yours?

Celeste made a perfect bride. Her white dress was spotless, her hands holding the bouquet of lilies steady and straight, the smile across her face warm and affectionate under her sheer veil. But her blue eyes were sad, and only Connor could tell that she was thinking of her father who wouldn't be able to see her.

Once Celeste finally joined Connor, however, she looked rather concerned as she glanced beside him. While the priest intoned the beginning of the wedding ceremony, she leaned slightly towards Connor. "Where's Elrin?"

Connor glanced beside him in alarm, then shook his head and shrugged. "Don't worry about it, love. I'm sure he just went to go tell your father that the wedding began."

Celeste turned her head towards Connor, and her eyes went wide. "He's barred from being told anything about the wedding." She said in a loud tone of voice. "Besides, the dungeon is locked."

The priest stopped his intonation. "Is there a problem, dearie?" He asked in a wavery voice.

Elyon quickly walked over to join her daughter and shook her head. "No, no. Continue." She said quickly.

The priest shrugged. "If there is anyone here who has cause for these two to remain unmarried, speak now or forever hold your peace." He said loudly enough for the whole room to hear.

"I object." A familar voice said from the back of the room. Cedric strolled in confidently. "On the grounds that no child of mine will ever marry a Guardian's cursed spawn."

Elrin slid down a tapestry and produced a knife, which he held to Connor's throat. "Sorry about this." He said cheerfully. "But I think Celeste needs to stay with her father, now that she knows who he is."

Celeste's mouth fell open, and she nervously walked towards Elyon. But then her eyes fell on the frightened faces around the room, and her own Connor's nervous expression.

Eyes flashing with anger, she turned around and walked towards Cedric. "It's not fair!" She shouted at her father. "You don't have the right to do this!"

Cedric glanced at Celeste. "What don't I have the right to do?" He asked mildly, watching the chaotic scene he had spawned with a content expression.

"The right to ruin my life and try to hurt everyone I care about!" She cried. Her hands clutched her father's jacket. "I thought you would love me. I thought you would understand why I choose to marry Connor, but you haven't! And now I think you have a choice to make, Father." She let go of his jacket and stepped back. "My happiness, or yours?"

"My happiness or yours?" Cedric repeated a bit stupidly. "What do you mean?"

"Just what I said." Celeste replied. She drew out a dagger from some hidden pocket and placed the tip against her belly. "Your happiness means you win this battle--you kill Connor and I don't marry him. But you lose a daughter. My happiness means that I marry Connor, but you get a week's headstart to run and I make the guards promise to not kill you. You'll be free--which means you win again. It's a win-win situation, Father."

Cedric looked around the room and finally looked at Elrin. "Lower the dagger. For the love of all that's good, Celeste, don't hurt yourself. We'll leave." He said coldly. "But only for now. Soon we'll return, and then no amount of begging or threats on your part could make us stop our plans."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Celeste said quietly. She watched her father and brother rush out of the palace, looking so much alike. "Goodbye, Father."


	14. Epilouge

_Epilouge:_

That was the last time Celeste ever saw her father. She once heard that he and Elrin fled to the village Cedric grew up at and both remarried. A young blonde girl from that village who bore a striking resemblance to Celeste confirmed her suspicions that her father had children again.

Palar and Elyon also had a child, finally: A girl with blue eyes and dark hair that they named Ella after Elrin. Connor and Celeste, however, had about 10 children: Caleb, Cayleigh, Rose, Opal, Jarek, Elrin the second, Elyon, Palar, and Terin. The last child Celeste had showed her forgiveness for her father: Cedric.

Celeste once said that she couldn't understand why her father was so against her marrying Connor, and that she wished they hadn't ran away so quickly. But she also said that she didn't regret anything she had done, and said so in a letter she sent to Elrin.

They responded only once, to tell her that they had disowned her.

The children met their grandfather 3 years later.

_And time goes on, endlessly, toying with our lives in ways we can never understand: But sometimes if we are brave, we survive._


End file.
